


Fainting Spell

by driftingbth



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: Cross-Posted on AFF, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:13:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25183069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/driftingbth/pseuds/driftingbth
Summary: Chaeyoung’s heart jumps to her throat when she hears a sound thrumming beneath her feet.Or Mina lives in Chaeyoung’s basement, and Chaeyoung thinks she’s a vampire.
Relationships: Myoui Mina/Son Chaeyoung
Comments: 22
Kudos: 133





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> This is originally an 11k one-shot fic, but I can't seem to finish proofreading it (disadvantage of having no beta reader), so I decided to just divide it into parts, or else it won't see the light of day. 
> 
> (Belated) happy michaeng day, and enjoy reading!

Standing beneath the whitewashed portico, Chaeyoung opens the grand wooden doors of the château. Warmth immediately replaces the pricking breeze of the winter night, while the desolate smell of the mansion also greets Chaeyoung. (Yes — a mansion — her grandmother was really full of surprises.) 

Veiled in darkness, Chaeyoung searches for the switch and turns the lights on. A soft glow from the chandelier casts inside the foyer.

Chaeyoung drags her suitcase to the room. 

Since she was a child, she knew that her favorite granny _(sorry, grandma Jeongyeon)_ was well off; however, she didn’t expect Nana Nayeon to be _this rich._

One day, Chaeyoung was just cramming her art project due in the next 24 hours when Sana, her granny’s latest lawyer, had called, greeted her a happy birthday, and subsequently informed her that a huge house in the middle of a forest — old enough to be considered a national heritage — was now under her name. 

Apparently, it was the last clause in her Nana Nayeon’s will; something about _bestowing this haven to my greatest love_ — that’s Chaeyoung, obviously — _when she finally turns 20._

Chaeyoung then scans the place where she’ll be staying for a while. 

Inspiration from French renaissance is highly evident in the towering ceilings, intricately patterned walls, and alternate use of red, white, and gold.

Walking along the corridor with the moonlight streaming in, Chaeyoung finds herself in a spacious living room. It’s circular floor and double-height ceiling engulfs Chaeyoung, making her feel like a knight lost in one of the castle’s towers. 

Chaeyoung then uncovers the sofa. She removes her coat and gently lays it on the back.

Most of the furniture is hidden under white drapes, dusted and thick. Even the paintings sport their own decorative cobwebs which draw a sigh out of Chaeyoung. 

There’s a lot to do before she can comfortably settle in.

Chaeyoung’s about to stand up when a photograph solely perched on the wooden table catches her attention. It’s Nana Nayeon, maybe in her early twenties, smiling brightly with grandma Jeongyeon and their friends. 

She picks it up and tightens her grip around the frame.

Deep in the hollows of her heart, Chaeyoung knew that her grandma was the type to pull off such a crazy stunt like this. Her eccentricity always catches Chaeyoung off guard, and that’s what made her the better grandma. (Sorry again, grandma Jeong). But setting her surprise aside, Nana Nayeon also trusted her with this house, and as the good granddaughter she is, she needs — no — she _wants_ to respect her grandmother's wishes.

It’s a small payback considering Nana Nayeon had given her the best childhood anyone could ever dream of. Not to add that she also welcomed Chaeyoung with open arms when the girl ran away after coming out to her parents one (awkward) dinner night. 

Chaeyoung surely loves her Nana so much that travelling to the end of South Korea right after graduation just to live in a secluded mansion is the least thing she can do — taking into account that she’s a year late. 

Chaeyoung looks at the picture one more time before returning it on to the table.

She wipes her misty eyes and returns to the foyer. She needs to start unpacking soon, so she can settle in for the night because there’s a long week ahead of her and lots of things to do when suddenly a distant sound from a creaking door makes Chaeyoung pause. 

“Who’s there?” Chaeyoung’s voice slightly trembles. A beat passes before she snaps back to another sound coming from behind; it’s immediately followed by a buzz.

Looking back, only the painting on the wall is present besides herself. 

Chaeyoung's hair stands up on the back of her neck. 

Chaeyoung then musters all the courage her small frame can handle and walks closer to the wall.

Chaeyoung thinks that the sounds are coming _behind_ the wall, no matter how creepy that suggests.

Unsure, she leans her left ear and then finds out she’s right: it’s indeed coming from the other side of the wall. 

Chaeyoung moves closer and almost stumbles because of the little pot she doesn’t notice, so she tries to steady herself against the wall when the it starts moving along with her. 

“What the actual—”

With a yelp, Chaeyoung immediately opens her phone’s flashlight and sweeps it across the room.

It looks almost the same as the foyer besides the staircase spiraling until the edge of the roof. But the ever-present hum is not from upstairs. Chaeyoung feels it beneath her feet, coursing through her legs, straight into her body. 

The source is _underground_. 

Chaeyoung turns her phone’s light to the max and looks below the staircase. That’s when she notices the crevice on the floor, almost hidden in view, leading to another set of steps. In the end, light peeks from the slightly opened door. 

Chaeyoung hears another sound, a loud munching sound to be exact.

Maybe it’s just a rat — it grows louder — a _very_ hungry rat. 

Chaeyoung then moves on autopilot. She grabs the closest thing beside her and mentally prepares herself. 

_Here goes nothing._

Chaeyoung faces the door and prays to all gods and goddesses she doesn’t believe in before kicking it open and screaming at the top of her voice.

“Show yourself you little—!” 

Instead of a sneaky mouse, a silhouette of a girl appears before her. Blinding brightness glows behind her like a halo.

Before Chaeyoung can move, the girl turns to look at her. 

Chaeyoung feels her soul leave her body at the sight of a pale white girl with blood, _lots of blood_ , dripping from her mouth.

And then Chaeyoung blacks out. 


	2. Two

Everything aches.

Chaeyoung tries to open her eyes.

Everything is shaky and uneven, so she just focuses on the girl in front of her.

Long blonde hair and pretty lips.

The throbbing in her head gradually slips away, replaced by something she can’t name.

Chaeyoung tries to blink. A single tear slips down her cheek.

A girl — no — an ethereal woman is looking directly at her.

A damp cloth is suddenly pressed against Chaeyoung’s forehead. She hisses at the cold.

A slight frown etches on the other woman’s face.

Driven by her haze, Chaeyoung reaches for her face in an attempt to smoothen her frown, but as soon as her fingers touch her skin, an image of a bloodied girl jolts her awake.

“Who are you?” Chaeyoung jerks away.

The overwhelming headache returns because of how abruptly she stood up. 

“Relax,” the beautiful stranger tries to placate Chaeyoung.

“Answer my question, or I’m calling the police!” Chaeyoung scans the room for anything, _literally_ anything she can use against this girl.

“I’m Mina, Nayeon’s friend. I live here,” the girl explains hurriedly. “In the basement I mean,” she adds sheepishly. 

Chaeyoung’s body immediately relaxes upon the mention of her grandma’s name, but she’s not easily fooled. “What do you mean your Nana’s _friend_? You had blood on your face, spilling everywhere and—”

Suddenly, Chaeyoung’s voice is cut by a ring.

It’s her phone.

With her eyes locked on the suspicious girl, Chaeyoung picks it up. 

“Chaeyoung? Thank God you picked up! How are you? Mina called me. She told me you blacked out. I was so worried!” It’s Sana unnie. Her voice is filled with genuine concern but,

“ _Mina?_ ” Chaeyoung asks, still disoriented and confused. 

“Yes, Mina, she stays at the mansio—Hey! I told you to photocopy the first page, not the…” Chaeyoung tunes out the other girl.

Being a lawyer in a high-end firm isn’t a piece of cake.

Chaeyoung looks at the other girl in the room instead. She looks awfully sorry (and pretty), just sitting on the bed. 

“Chaeyoung?” Sana calls her name, breaking their stare.

Chaeyoung turns slightly before hissing. “Someone _currently_ lives in Nana’s house, and you didn’t think of telling me before? Seriously, I think you wanted me to faint.” 

Chaeyoung hears a shuffling noise across the line.

Sana has tried to find a quiet place before she replies: “I’m sorry Chaeyoung-ah. It completely slipped my mind. If you’d told me you had a plan to visit the place this year, I would have properly briefed you about the mansion — in person! You know that.” 

Chaeyoung releases the breath she’s been holding.

Maybe, just maybe, it’s Chaeyoung’s own fault for travelling impulsively at night, without telling anyone first, that got her to this mess, but there’s just something about tonight that made her instantly pack and go.

Nonetheless, Chaeyoung relents with a sigh. “Okay, okay. I forgive you. And I’m sorry, too, for worrying you I mean. Just,” Chaeyoung lowers her voice, “—just promise me you’ll visit here asap, _okay_?”

Chaeyoung feels better when she hears Sana hum, but just a tad. She still feels nauseous. 

“I promise Chaeyoung-ah. In the meantime, take care of yourself, and please, please be good to Mina. She’s actually a good friend of your Nana, and not a renter or a caretaker. She actually lived there with Nayeon before, moved out when you turned 20, but agreed to come back when I asked her because your stubborn ass refused to visit last year, so be good to your _housemate_ , okay?” 

Chaeyoung looks at her "housemate" and thinks how can a young girl, almost her age, be her Nana’s friend when her grandmother didn’t even mention her once? The girl also lived in this mansion together with her grandma, but her grandmother didn’t say a thing, not even a slip of the tongue. But then Mina stares back at her so intensely that she had to look away.

Chaeyoung's not the type to maintain eye contact, anyway. 

On the line, Sana tells her about an emergency meeting, so Chaeyoung bids her goodbye and pockets her phone. 

Chaeyoung clears her throat, and Mina looks at her expectantly. She scratches her nape before saying: “ _Hi?_ ”

Attempting to bash a vase on her Nana's friend wasn't definitely on Chaeyoung’s list for tonight, but here she is.

What a memorable first night indeed.

* * *

Chaeyoung soon learned from a soft-spoken Mina that the room they’re actually in was her Nana's old bedroom.

The circular chamber mirrors the living room across the hall but just differs in layout and design.

Chaeyoung also discovered that the kitchen and the guest room (the one Mina currently resides in) were in the basement downstairs.

Lastly, to Chaeyoung’s embarrassment, Mina cheekily told her she was having her (favorite) midnight snack — hotdogs dipped in tomato ketchup — when Chaeyoung’s _dramatic_ entrance surprised her, making her spill the ketchup everywhere. 

The neatly stacked ketchup bottles and hotdog packs in the old buzzing refrigerator (that’s responsible for the strange sounds and Mina’s weird halo earlier) mocked Chaeyoung, as she put the groceries she bought along the way inside of it. 

After a well-deserved sleep (as Mina insisted her to have after her fainting spell), both girls are now in the living room, silently cleaning the space until Mina suddenly breaks the silence. “My apologies, Chaeyoung. I’m really not a good housekeeper. I try to clean once in a while, but I worry about imposing too much, so I try to limit my stay inside my room.” Mina tries to explain shyly.

Standing on the opposite side of the room, Chaeyoung turns to the side to glance at Mina. “It’s alright! Sana unnie told me you’re my Nana’s friend, so you don’t have to worry about cleaning all this,” Chaeyoung looks at the expanse of the living room, trying to be cool, but it rather comes out awkwardly. 

Chaeyoung isn’t much of a talker, and she’s also not sure how to move on past their first (disastrous) encounter. So she goes back to her task: removing the curtains framing the French door which is kind of difficult considering Chaeyoung's (lack of) height.

It doesn’t help that it’s kind of stuck, too.

After a minute of huffing and struggling, a late realization dawns on Chaeyoung: she actually needs to get to know Mina if they’ll be living under the same roof.

Chaeyoung’s hands suddenly feel clammy, and her mouth opens before she can properly think. “Can you tell me about how you knew my grandmother?” 

Mina becomes startled by Chaeyoung's voice but appreciates her effort in initiating small talk, so she stops dusting the sofa to mull over her question. “I still remember it,” Mina starts. 

Chaeyoung respectfully turns to listen.

“Years ago, Nayeon had seen me crying on the skirts of the forest and asked me if I was okay. Then she offered me a place to stay because it was already late at night. The forest here is dangerous, you know?” Mina pauses and gives her a look like she’s giving Chaeyoung a friendly reminder as a newcomer to this place.

Chaeyoung nods at Mina’s direction, both as an acknowledgment of her tip and also an encouragement for her to go on.

Mina then continues reminiscing while also dusting the sofa. “So Nayeon let me stay here. The morning after, I think she sensed that I was reluctant to go home; that’s why she told me I could stay here _forever_ if I promised to look after the house whenever she’s gone, and if — _and only if —_ I stop calling her grandma.” Mina chuckles, vividly remembering that fateful night. 

Chaeyoung also lets out a laugh, _not_ because of Mina’s contagious giggles, but because the last part of her story perfectly fits Nana’s sensitivity with the matters of the age.

“How about you?” Mina looks at her with genuine curiosity.

Chaeyoung stops laughing and looks down at her feet. “You’re asking me how I knew my own grandma?” She asks, confused.

Mina covers her mouth, stifling a laugh. “Nooo,” she whines cutely. “What I mean is..." Mina tilts her head adorably, "Do you have any story to tell?” She asks with a lilt, and Chaeyoung learns that she _really_ really likes the way Mina speaks.

Mina's voice is soft (Chaeyoung needs to strain her ears just to hear her clearly), but she’s also very firm and articulate. Combining the two, it’s like Mina demands to be heard.

She knows she sounds cheesy (or even creepy) right now, but it’s the artist inside her that likes to pick up things like this.

Chaeyoung also can’t help the fact that Mina uses her face and hands endearingly whenever she explains.

Lost in her thoughts, Chaeyoung turns back to her work, trying to come up with a good story to tell when she tugs the curtain hard enough for her to lose grip and slip.

Everything happens so fast that Chaeyoung just closes her eyes and braces for the impact, but then she feels a pair of strong but comforting arms catching her.

Chaeyoung slowly opens her eyes and sees Mina so close to her. This scene feels oddly familiar to Chaeyoung.

“Are you alright?” Worry is written all over Mina’s face, but Chaeyoung’s attention is completely captured by the woman’s birthmarks. Her skin is pale white except for the moles scattered along her face. Chaeyoung mentally connects them like a puzzle and wonders _just_ _exactly_ how beautiful Mina is for her to make a masterpiece out of speckled dust.

“Chaeyoung?” Mina speaks again, breaking her trance. Chaeyoung becomes completely aware of their position with Mina still supporting her back, so she abruptly stands on her feet. 

“I-I’m alright. Thanks.” Chaeyoung pushes her hair behind her ears. Then, she gets back to work almost immediately, wanting to hide her face.

“Are you sure you’re alright? Maybe you should rest more after fainting yesterday.”

Chaeyoung feels Mina’s gaze on her.

“No, no. The ladder’s just shaky, but I’m fine,” Chaeyoung dismisses with a grin. “Besides, you got me right?” Chaeyoung adds with a half-hearted chuckle.

“Of course,” Mina answers back. 

(Chaeyoung doesn’t catch it; she’s busy calming down her heart.)

The two girls continue working in silence.

* * *

* * *

That night Chaeyoung’s dream is full of mazes and hallways, and princesses and knights running away into the deep dark forest. 

* * *

* * *

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the awkward chapter cut! I'll try to update tom. We're down 2/7 chapters. (Spoiler: this is a light fic, so expect no blood and violence, but if you like that, check my other fic.) Thank you!


	3. Three

The next morning, Chaeyoung wakes up as the sun begins to rise.

After some time preparing herself, she moves to the foyer, debating if she’ll take a quick bite down the kitchen or just immediately go to work. Chaeyoung chooses the latter, not wanting to disturb Mina by the sounds of the old refrigerator, just in case she's still asleep. She just adds the fridge to the mental list she’ll buy after surveying the whole mansion.

Tiptoeing past the antechamber, the sunlight flowing down the windows is quite a majestic sight to see. From now on, Chaeyoung knows she'll see it every morning, but still, she can't help feeling lucky. She stops for a moment just to bask under the sun before she continues to the double door leading to the windowless quarter beside the living room.

Chaeyoung fumbles with the keyring Mina has given her and opens the door. She turns the light on, and she’s surprised to see tables and chairs neatly aligned inside the rectangular room. Complete with a small platform and podium, it’s like a mini-conference hall.

Chaeyoung just shrugs before retrieving the cleaning supplies they used yesterday.

She returns almost immediately, so she's startled when a shadow suddenly crosses the previously empty room.

“AAAH!" Chaeyoung shouts. "MINA!” She almost drops the broom in her hand. “You always scare me to death!”

Mina lets out a brief laugh, clearly amused by how easily frightened Chaeyoung is. “I apologize. I heard you walking downstairs and decided to help you out.”

Chaeyoung swears she didn’t hear anyone traversing the stairs, but dismisses it on the walls of the stone mansion.

“You should eat first. I already ate downstairs, but I made you something. I hope it suits your taste.” Mina nods at the plate filled with toasts, hotdogs, and eggs. There’s also a steaming mug of coffee on the side.

Chaeyoung’s mouth waters at the simple yet thoughtful breakfast prepared in front of her. “You didn’t have too…” As soon as those words leave Chaeyoung’s mouth, her stomach counters them with a growl. 

Mina tries to hide her bubbling laugh, but another sound comes out of Chaeyoung’s tum, and then she can't help it anymore, her laugh gracefully bounces off the four-sided wall. 

“It’s nothing really,” Mina reassures Chaeyoung as she wipes the tears off her eyes. “Consider it as payment for scaring you twice.” Mina, fresh from laughing, smiles with her gums, and Chaeyoung feels something stir up inside of her; Chaeyoung blames it on hunger. 

“Thank you, Mina.” She singsongs before digging in while Mina starts moving the chairs to the side. 

* * *

“Say, Mina, what did Nana use this room for?” Chaeyoung asks after finishing her coffee. (She’s delighted by the fact that they both have the same taste in how they take their coffee.) 

Her diligent companion doesn’t pause from mopping the vacant floors, but she satisfies Chaeyoung’s curiosity as she answers: “She told me the original owners were a powerful family, so they probably used this as a gathering hall or something?” Mina answers cutely, brows furrowing, trying not to break the lines she made on the floor.

“Oh. So Nana bought this and didn’t even bother changing things. Such a lazy bum,” Chaeyoung shakes her head in mock disapproval. “That explains some of the remaining odd decors,” she adds.

“Yes, I think Nayeon bought this from the owners after serving them for years but kept it mostly the same.” Chaeyoung nods. She knew that bit, her Nana working under a rich family a long time ago.

What Chaeyoung didn’t know was _why_ and _how_ she had bought the mansion.

“It seemed Nana had told you a lot of things, huh,” Chaeyoung comments, without malice in her voice. “She really liked you that much?”

Mina ducks her head shyly. “Nayeon had told me stories now and then. She said I reminded her of her only granddaughter in Seoul.” Mina adds the last part inadvertently, her concentration still on the floor.

That's also why she doesn’t notice the guilt flashing on her companion's face.

Chaeyoung clenches her fist unconsciously.

If she had known that her grandma was suffering from cancer, she would have stayed by her side instead of studying in the city. If only her parents didn't keep it to themselves…

Menacingly, a bitter voice within Chaeyoung retorts that even if that was the case, she would have just run away like how she always does.

She ran away when she blurted out her sexuality years ago. She ran away to the city as soon as she turned 18, just to get away from her parents' hold. She _almost_ ran away right after Nana's last day of funeral service, but thankfully, her friend Tzuyu had held her back then. 

Even to this very house, Chaeyoung had run away for a year because she didn't know what to do with it.

Chaeyoung thought of auctioning it and donating some of the money to charity (her grandma Jeongyeon would have loved that). She also considered filing the house as a heritage under the nearby municipality; the local community, architects, and tourists would have loved that. But then Sana reminded her she should do what Nayeon would have wanted and also what she herself wants.

(That sentiment didn’t help much because her Nana was dead, and Chaeyoung doesn’t know what she wants.)

A written instruction or a hint would have helped, but her Nana just left her alone with a house too big that Chaeyoung swears she sometimes hears her grandma laughing in the hallways—

(“Chaeyoung, look!” Mina smiles, satisfied. She’s finished mopping half of the floor and patiently waits for Chaeyoung to praise her like a kid.)

— Or Chaeyoung just misses her grandma badly; that's why she’s being a huge baby right now. 

Nana’s peculiar mind may always remain a mystery considering she's gone, but Chaeyoung knows, deep in her heart, that her grandma would always want the best for her — regarding this house and anything else — only the best for her beloved granddaughter.

(Chaeyoung looks back up and sends Mina a smile before giving her a thumbs up.)

Chaeyoung just needs to figure out what the “best” for her entails.

Coming here and choosing to stay, she believes, is already the first step in the right direction.

She just needs to be patient on where this path will take her, so Chaeyoung grabs the other mop and makes a joke instead. “Well, you should be honored, Mina. I’m a great person to be compared to,” Chaeyoung chuckles before racing the girl to the other half of the floor. 

Mina chuckles a little louder this time, her voice cascading the entire room. 

Chaeyoung feels slightly better just hearing her laugh. 

* * *

Both girls look at the spick and span floor proudly. Chaeyoung then moves to return the cleaned tables and chairs when Mina holds her wrist.

“This isn’t just a meeting room, you know?” A hint of mischievousness colors Mina’s eyes.

Chaeyoung feels the excitement just by looking at her.

She lets herself be dragged by an overzealous Mina to a nook she didn’t notice before. Mina opens it up, and all sorts of things flooded Chaeyoung’s eyes. There are board games on the shelves, folding billiard table on the ground, and even a pinball machine! 

“Nayeon and I actually brought most of the old things down in the main storage room and filled this room with these. She'd planned to convert it into a game room because she’d always hoped she'd got to show it to you when you finally come.” With that, Chaeyoung feels her tears welling up.

This was such a Nana Nayeon thing to do: converting a boring-ass room to a quirky one. 

With their hands still intertwined, Chaeyoung squeezes the other girl’s hand. “Thank you,” she says sincerely. She appreciates how Mina has shown her this in place of her Nana who couldn’t anymore.

Mina reluctantly breaks their hold as she waddles to the pinball machine. She rests her elbow against it and smiles cheekily. “Let’s get them out of here, shall we?” 

* * *

Chaeyoung groans. She may have strained her shoulders from moving too much. She plops herself down on the floor — it’s newly cleaned anyway — and Mina joins her shortly, sitting close beside her. 

“Finally,” Chaeyoung exhales before scanning the newly redecorated room.

The billiard table is spread out in the center, the pinball machine is at the side, and there are a few chairs surrounding the table full of games.

“It looks better than before,” Mina remarks and Chaeyoung agrees with a grunt. 

“It just lacks a karaoke machine or something,” Chaeyoung jokes.

She doesn’t expect a clap coming from Mina and a grin forming on her face when she whispers, “Speaking of karaoke…” Mina stands up, Chaeyoung immediately misses her warmth, but then she sees the girl fiddle with the switches before the whole room dims. 

Chaeyoung holds her breath, and then — a strobe of lights flashes before her eyes.

Mina returns to Chaeyoung’s side, but this time, she lies down on the floor with her. She laughs at Chaeyoung’s astonished face; the girl is completely stunned by the disco lights playing inside the room.

It’s understandable; it's a funny contrast to the heavily designed ceilings after all, but Chaeyoung thinks it perfectly complements the new aesthetic of the room. 

“You always have a trick up your sleeves, don’t you?” Chaeyoung turns to Mina, who’s already looking at her.

Her pair of dazzling eyes instantly root Chaeyoung in place — and it’s a privilege really — to see Mina this close... 

...but Chaeyoung is Chaeyoung, so she immediately snaps her gaze back to the disco lights above them.

Under the dancing rays and escaping butterflies on the floor, they stayed _just_ like that, admiring the view.

Until — once again — her stomach decided to break the spell. (She really should have eaten more earlier.)

Mina laughs as she stands up. Then she offers her hand to Chaeyoung, who immediately takes it, and asks, “What do you want for lunch? I’ll try to cook it.” 

Chaeyoung scratches the back of her neck. “I think I only bought ramen so…”

Mina laughs again (she always does whenever she's with Chaeyoung) before saying, “Okay. Ramen it is.” 

They walk out of the room hand-in-hand.

* * *

* * *

Chaeyoung is well-fed that day. Maybe that’s why her dreams are filled with mouth-watering meals and loving hands.

* * *

* * *


	4. Four

The day after starts slower than usual.

The winter winds are chillier, and it looks like a storm is about to break. 

Same as yesterday, Chaeyoung wakes up prior to Mina, and she’s about to finish sweeping the hallway when the said girl resurfaces.

Chaeyoung notices how Mina staggers as she walks.

“Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed?” Chaeyoung half-asks, half-comments after balancing the broom beside the wall. 

Mina is caught off-guard by Chaeyoung’s attentiveness. “The coffin downstairs is too stiff whichever side I sleep on,” Mina says with a straight face, making Chaeyoung’s head snap at her.

Mina clutches her stomach at the bewildered look on Chaeyoung’s face. 

“Yah!” Chaeyoung hits Mina with the broom. “That’s not a good joke. I’m still haunted by your ketchup-stained face, you know?” She shakes her head.

She can’t believe she fell for Mina’s archaic joke. Maybe her grandma’s humor rubbed off on her since they had spent too much time together.

“Is that another way of confessing that you often think of my face?”

Chaeyoung blushes at the implication (which may or may not be true). “That’s not what I meant,” she answers back weakly.

Mina decides to have mercy on Chaeyoung’s poor soul. “I’m just kidding. I’m just tired from all the lifting we did yesterday, that's all,” she says as she stretches, her abs peeking under her shirt.

Chaeyoung looks away. 

“Well, you clearly wake up just fine, given by how cheery you are early in the morning,” Chaeyoung adds with a snicker, but she’s actually relieved. For a second, she really thought something was wrong with Mina, but now, it’s just nice to hear her joke, no matter how lame it is.

Chaeyoung then walks to the center of the house with Mina closely trailing behind her when she suddenly halts, making Mina bump into her. She turns back to face Mina. “I have a question for you, Mina-yah.”

Both of their eyes widen at the nickname, but before Chaeyoung can take it back, Mina replies with, “What is it, Chaeyoung-ah?” 

They look at each other with a smile.

Maybe they’re on the same page, after all. 

“Do you think it’s okay that we’re changing the house?” Chaeyoung asks as she opens the doors, letting the chilly wind enter the foyer. “I mean, besides cleaning and moving furniture around, I’m also thinking of small renovations here and there, but I’m not sure if that’s what Nana wants…” For a moment, Chaeyoung looks so small and unsure that Mina carefully thinks of her words before replying.

“I think,” Mina starts slowly, “that’s absolutely what your grandma wants.” Chaeyoung fully turns around to face Mina, who’s currently touching the walls as she speaks. “Nayeon would love having pieces of you engraved in this house just like how she used to do when she’d lived here.” 

Mina and her gift of eloquence; Chaeyoung almost tears up just by hearing it.

“Besides, I heard that you’re _the_ Son Chaeyoung — scouted by the best arts and design school in Seoul — I doubt you’ll damage the house if that’s what you’re afraid of,” Mina adds, eliciting chuckles from the teary-eyed girl. 

"Nana had to tell you about that, too, huh?" Chaeyoung shakes her head. "I hoped she didn’t bore you with her thousand tales about me," Chaeyoung adds with a sigh. She really misses her grandma, and she really hates having regrets, but right now, in this house, Chaeyoung finds herself shouldering a mountain of what-ifs. 

“I liked Nayeon’s stories. She’s wise and funny and…” Mina trails, prompting Chaeyoung out of her self-loathing thoughts. Mina stands in front of her and says, “She really, _really_ loves you.” Mina holds both of her hands. “She’s proud of her granddaughter, who’s very talented and loving — someone who knows her true self and someone who never lets other people tell her otherwise.” 

Mina utters it with such kindness, softness, and confidence in Chaeyoung; it makes her want to cry and smile at the same time — but most importantly — it makes Chaeyoung want to _believe._

Not wanting to be a crybaby in front of Mina, Chaeyoung wipes her tear-stained face. “Stop making me emotional. At this rate, I may give you a free painting someday when I become famous,” Chaeyoung says with a sniff and moves towards the shifting wall, creating some distance between Mina and herself.

She fears she may do something irrational because of how close and how kind Mina is being at the moment.

Mina then beams at her. “I would love that. I _actually_ want to see you draw someday.”

Chaeyoung’s face warms up at the request.

Surely, she’s confident with her skills (she got that from Nana), and she doesn’t shy away from well-deserved compliments (this one from Grandma Jeongyeon), but a person interested in seeing her sketch, not her actual works per se, still makes her nervous.

Chaeyoung walks towards Mina, takes her hand, and gently drags her down to the basement.

Mina, amused and confused, just let Chaeyoung lead the way.

They stop by the door of Mina’s room, her heart pounding against her rib cage. 

“You,” Chaeyoung points to her chest, “will stay inside your room and rest your _historic_ joints while I clean the foyer upstairs.” 

Mina swallows down before she tries to disagree. “But—” 

“—no buts, Mina. I can’t concentrate with you around. You like making me emotional every second, so rest in the meantime, please.”

Mina taps her feet, deliberating if she’ll follow the younger girl's command, but it ends prematurely when Chaeyoung pouts adorably.

“Alright, alright…” Mina says with a sigh.

Chaeyoung cheers up and skips merrily on her way upstairs. 

Mina lingers for a minute and shakes her head; she's doomed.

* * *

Later that evening, Mina decides to check if Chaeyoung is still awake.

She tries to creep into the foyer, not making any sound when she moves along the semi-rotating wall, but then instantly squeaks at the sight of Chaeyoung intently staring into the wall.

She hurriedly puts the wall back into place before standing beside Chaeyoung. 

Nowadays, Mina forgets about the existence of _the girl alongside the cliff_ hanging on the wall.

“What about the original owners, Mina?” Chaeyoung asks out of the blue, not breaking her gaze on the wall.

Mina shifts the weight on her feet before she asks, “What about them?” She focuses on Chaeyoung’s side profile instead.

“Do you think they would mind me meddling with the mansion?” Chaeyoung turns to look at her with her childlike eyes.

“I think…” Mina gazes outside the windows “... she would love for the house to move on.”

Mina says it with finality in her tone that Chaeyoung has to follow her gaze before replying, “Okay.”

They stay silent for a while, just admiring the night.

“The shifting wall isn’t part of the original layout, isn’t it?” Mina nods at Chaeyoung’s question.

Chaeyoung has noticed it earlier, after dragging Mina downstairs. The wood used for the partition differed from the rest of the house. Even the installation was clumsy, like it's rushed and hurried.

“Are you thinking of removing it?” Mina asks silently.

There’s no immediate answer. 

“I’ll think about it,” Chaeyoung says before turning to the corridor leading to her room. 

“Goodnight, Mina.” Her greeting echoes throughout the hall. 

“Goodnight, Chaeyoung,” Mina says it to the moon. 

* * *

* * *

Chaeyoung shifts in her bed, brows furrowed and body clad in sweat; her usual dreams are replaced by a nightmare. There’s only rain, darkness, and endless gravity in her dream.

* * *

* * *


	5. Five

“This dining room is such a waste,” Chaeyoung murmurs while looking at the long table with 10 or 12 chairs around it, “especially with just the two of us who use the kitchen counter often.” 

Mina stops wiping the ceramic plates. “We can eat here if you want.” 

Chaeyoung laughs. “No, no. It’s extra work. The fridge is also far from here. These heavy bowls will tire us out. Imagine carrying these bad boys back and forth three times a day,” she tries to show it by lifting the casserole and immediately regrets when it almost topples down. 

Mina shakes her head at Chaeyoung who calls old plates _bad boys_. She just walks wordlessly to the cupboard in the corner and says, “Not if we have this,” before revealing the—

“A food elevator!” Chaeyoung screams and runs towards Mina. She immediately leans her head inside.

The kid in her feels giddy. She never thought of seeing an actual dumbwaiter, especially not in Korea. 

“So what do you think?” Mina asks, making Chaeyoung jump at the sudden breath on her neck. 

They bump their heads in the process. “Ouch…” With a grimace, they look at each other before breaking into a hearty laugh. 

“You’re so clumsy,” Mina teases the other girl. She goes back to her seat, back to cleaning and arranging long-stored kitchenwares.

“It’s because you enjoy surprising me so much,” Chaeyoung bites back, still disoriented from the feeling of Mina’s breath on her neck. 

“Oh, do _I_?” Mina playfully arches her brow.

“You know what I mean.” Chayeoung shakes her head, also about to return to work when Mina asks if she has an extra tie because apparently she forgot hers downstairs. 

Without thinking, Chaeyoung makes a small sound of affirmation before gathering Mina’s long blonde hair into a ponytail.

Mina's entire body stiffens, but Chaeyoung doesn’t notice as she continues her ministrations like it’s the most natural thing to do. 

While arranging the girl’s hair, Chaeyoung glimpses something odd on Mina’s nape. 

She slows down. 

Using her fingertip, Chaeyoung traces the faded lines of the delicate flowers on Mina’s neck. 

They stem from her nape and extends all the way down to her back.

Chaeyoung's dainty finger makes Mina fidgety. 

“Is this a primrose?” Chaeyoung whispers softly, entranced by the colorful ink.

“Yes…” Mina answers, breathless from Chaeyoung’s touch.

Other flowers surround the primrose, but before she can ask about them, Mina abruptly stands up and ties her own hair.

Chaeyoung awkwardly returns to the far opposite end of the table, seemingly in a trance.

Chaeyoung blinks before saying, “I didn’t know you have a tattoo.” She doesn’t mean to sound accusatory, but the ink on Mina’s skin, no matter how pretty, also serves as a cold splash of truth, reminding her that she doesn’t know the other girl _at all._

It isn't even about the tattoo itself, it's just her not knowing anything vital on Mina while in the brief time they've known each other, Mina already knew her from her grandmother but Chaeyoung...

Chaeyoung doesn't know Mina besides her being Nana's friend who has an immense love for ketchup, and it catches her off-guard after realizing how she feels so comfortable around Mina whom she barely knew.

Fortunately, Mina picks up the hidden question in Chaeyoung’s tone as she tells her, “It’s a bouquet of primrose, Queen Anne’s lace, and lilies of the valley.” 

Despite the unknown feeling blooming in Chaeyoung's chest, she keeps mum and listens to what Mina has to say.

“I’ve had this since forever, an impulsive decision, you can say, but I’m glad I did it,” Mina pauses. “Getting them inked on my skin was a memory I hold dear.”

When it seems like Mina has no longer anything else to say, Chaeyoung moves to return the hefty casseroles back in place. But she’s having a hard time trying to do so. She silently curses all the shelves higher than 5'3" inside this house.

Chaeyoung hears footsteps behind her but stubbornly refuses to ask for help.

“Let me,” Mina offers.

“I can do it,” Chaeyoung insists.

Instead of arguing back, Mina just uses her hands as an extension to push the casseroles up, inadvertently pressing her body onto Chaeyoung's.

After the deed, Chaeyoung tries to walk away from Mina, but the said girl keeps her in place. Chaeyoung's back is pressed against the shelf as Mina searches for her eyes. “You know you can ask me anything, right?”

Chaeyoung tries to avoid her gaze, but it’s a lost cause. Being close to Mina is her number one weakness nowadays. 

“You can ask me anything, Chaeyoung,” Mina repeats earnestly.

Chaeyoung’s mind betrays her when it replays how fast Mina moved away just to conceal her other tattoos, but Chaeyoung swallows it down. 

“Okay,” she says.

Maybe it was way too personal for _acquaintances_ like them. 

* * *

“My favorite color is purple,” Mina tells her out of the blue. 

Mina confesses that she's an only child who ran away from home because she didn’t want to be caged as her father’s inheritor.

Mina tells her that her only regret was leaving her dog Ray behind, but other than that, she’s satisfied being a ballet dancer. (Mina promises to teach Chaeyoung ballet after the artist lets her see how she sketches.)

She also likes her fair share of computer games. 

And this should be enough really, knowing Mina little by little each day, so Chaeyoung scolds herself for how immature she's being earlier.

_Baby steps,_ Chaeyoung reminds herself. 

It's not like they will run out of time, anyway. 

* * *

* * *

That night, sleep doesn’t come easy for Chaeyoung. Besides fearing another nightmare, she's replaying all the things that happened today. 

She replays Mina’s stories and her own childishness, but her mind keeps straying back into Mina’s breath on her neck, her glorious ~~skin~~ tattoo, and even the feeling of her body pressed against herself. 

Chaeyoung slaps her face.

It’s very wrong to think about your housemate like that, so she forces herself to sleep.

Before slipping into slumber, she recalls hearing sounds from Mina’s room situated just below her bedroom. 

Chaeyoung figures Mina is still wide awake, playing her video games. She smiles at that thought. 

There were no nightmares that night. 

* * *

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double update because why not?


	6. Six

“Meat, fish, veggies, fruits, bread, dairy…” Chaeyoung writes it all down while she hides a yawn escaping her mouth.

“You should catch more sleep, Chaeyoung-ah. I’ll finish that for you,” Mina suggests after setting her phone’s timer to three minutes. “Besides, we have enough food left for a week.”

Chaeyoung dismisses her and continues writing. “Yes, we still have enough left, _if_ you consider alternating hotdogs and ramen for a week.”

Mina chuckles as she leans against the marble kitchen counter.

The morning light feels pleasant on her skin.

She thanks the mansion’s architect for putting a shaft upstairs, creating a well-lit and ventilated kitchen despite being underground.

“Don’t worry, I’ll pay my share. I think I should probably pay monthly rent as well if I continue living here,” Mina muses while waiting for the ramen to cook but gets startled by Chaeyoung’s loud,

“No!” 

Mina takes the awkward silence that follows the wrong way. “I mean… I’ll find a new place to stay, of course. You’ll probably be uncomfortable with me around here, and it’s better to get a proper housekeeper who knows how to clean the house…”

Mina's voice is tinged with sadness, so Chaeyoung mentally smacks herself. “No, no, Mina. What I mean is you don’t have to pay anything, especially with the stuff I’ll be buying, and you can stay here as long as you want,” Chaeyoung tells her sincerely.

“That’s what Nana Nayeon would have wanted,” she adds with a chuckle.

Chaeyoung steals a glance, and sees Mina still looking down, so, despite her warming cheeks, Chaeyoung tries again. “I’ll also like it if you stay here,” Mina’s head snaps towards her, “because we’re friends, right?”

Mina blossoms into a smile, but her phone suddenly rings, making them jump and inadvertently breaking their stare.

Chaeyoung exhales the breath she's been holding.

Mina skips towards the boiled noodles, and Chaeyoung observes how the girl meticulously adds spices to the soup.

By now, Chaeyoung has noted Mina’s streak of perfection; although using a measuring cup for instant ramen is a bit of an overkill for her.

Either way, Chaeyoung thinks she can get used to this.

Mina then serves two big bowls of ramen on the countertop and smiles before saying, “A delicious meal for me and my friend.”

Chaeyoung shakes her head and uses the spoon Mina has passed to her. She moans at the taste of the soup. 

“You’re the only one I know that can make the same brand of ramen tastes differently good every day.”

A minute filled with slurping and sipping passes by. 

Chaeyoung stares at her empty bowl and hears Mina say, “You can show your appreciation by letting me pay rent, Chaeyoung-ah.” Before she can argue, Mina adds, “At least half of all the groceries, furniture, and appliances that both of us will use every day.” Chaeyoung still looks unconvinced. “I’m a runaway, I know, but I have a few gigs here and there. I know it must be hard on your pocket to renovate and sustain this mansion alone, _so please_ let me help.” Mina’s face becomes serious as she finishes, “Think of it as my token of gratitude for Nayeon’s kindness.”

Chaeyoung keeps mum but, in the end, relents with a sigh. “Okay, okay. You win.”

Mina lets out a small “Yay!” 

Chaeyoung then stands up and readies the dishes to be washed.

“So what’s next in our cleaning agenda for today?” Mina asks while helping Chaeyoung pile the dishes.

“Well, you said that all rooms in the basement are okay, and all the rooms upstairs are vacant, so I think Nana’s bedroom is the only room left,” Chaeyoung recites absentmindedly.

Mina looks at Chaeyoung, weirdly amused.

“ _What?_ ” Chaeyoung asks as she washes the pots.

“For a few nights, you stayed and slept in an _unkempt_ room, Chaeyoung-ah?” Mina fakes a scoff, earning a loud “Yah!” from Chaeyoung.

“Excuse me, Miss Minari, but I’ve cleaned enough space for me to sleep in,” Chaeyoung pouts as she puts the washed dishes on the rack. “Besides, I intended it to be like that because I’m still unsure if I’m ready to see the things she left behind.” She dries her hand using the dishcloth. “It was her bedroom, after all.”

Chaeyoung doesn’t intend it to sound so melancholic, so she’s surprised when Mina’s hand suddenly clasps her own. “Don’t worry, Chaeyoung-ah,” Mina breathes, “I’ll be right there with you...”

It’s so easy being lost in Mina’s eyes when she’s looking at Chaeyoung like this. Like—

“... to help you with another shelf you can’t reach,” Mina adds before breaking into a cheeky grin.

_Nevermind._

Chaeyoung removes her hand and chuckles along with Mina.

* * *

Early in the afternoon, sitting on Nana’s canopy bed, Chaeyoung sees the whole room in a different light.

For the first time since she set foot inside the house, she draws the curtains of Nana’s bedroom and lets the daylight flood in.

Along with the fancy window, a comfy recamier sits directly across the King's size bed in the middle of the room. 

“So where do we start?” Mina asks, standing tentatively in the doorframe. The sight reminds Chaeyoung of the first night they met. 

“The comfort room, I guess?” She announces, pacing to the said restroom and ignoring the confused look on Mina’s face. 

The spacious washroom which almost occupies a third of the whole room has two entry points from both sides of the bed. Those doors lead to an end-to-end walk-in closet. (Chaeyoung notes the contrasting features and shrugs at the master bedroom, having two closets unmistakably made for two girls.) The two powder rooms meet into one big central bathroom with a bathtub, lavatory, and glass-paneled shower room — definitely lavish indulgence for the previous owners.

Chaeyoung starts scrubbing the bathtub like a maniac. She brushes the already spotless tub, ignoring Mina’s concerned looks, but then stops when a small skin peels off her hand.

In an instant, Mina is by her side, reprimanding her. She grabs Chaeyoung's unwounded hand and takes her to the sink. 

Mina asks Chaeyoung to wait for her and immediately returns with a first-aid kit.

Chaeyoung chuckles. “Strawberries, really?”

Mina, focused on putting on the adhesive, just pokes her tongue and says, “It suits you, and besides, that’s the only plaster I have.” 

After the fiasco, Mina’s concerned stare comes back, making Chaeyoung avoid her gaze.

“Hey,” Mina starts, “knowing you and seeing it myself, I think it’s safe to say that every surface in this bathroom is already clean, Chaeyoung-ah.” The smaller girl shrinks further.

The truth is, Chaeyoung has made herself busy cleaning the rest of the house just to minimize the time she spent inside this wistful room. But believe her, she tried. She’s tried cleaning this room (that's why the bathroom is immaculately clean), but unconsciously, her body tried to avoid every storage and closet that may contain memories of how her grandma used to live.

Luckily _or unluckily_ , Mina reads Chaeyoung like an open book.

“I just want to remind you, you don’t have to do this if you’re still not ready, and regardless of your decision, I’m right here with you.”

Chaeyoung sighs. If she was the sole occupant of the house, she would've slept on the living room couch just to avoid this — she feels pathetic like that — but she figures she’s just prolonging the inevitable. 

Her grandmother trusted her with this house; she needs to steel herself and become the adult she needs to be.

It’s just cleaning a room, for Pete’s sake. 

“No, no. Let’s do it.” Chaeyoung lets Mina lead her back to her Nana’s closet.

They sift through its contents, deciding which will stay in the storage room or be donated through charity. It’s not much considering Nana mostly stayed in her house on the skirts of the city, but everything feels heavy on Chaeyoung’s chest.

Chaeyoung is about to go to the other closet, but Mina tells her not to bother because it’s mostly empty and unused, so they go back to the main bedroom. 

They also go through the books on the lone shelf in the room.

Chaeyoung recognizes some of her grandma’s favorite books and tells little anecdotes to Mina along the way.

The other girl attentively listens to every story she tells.

They put the unnecessary decorations into a box, and then they change the curtains and the covers of the bed altogether. Mina then jokes about how Chaeyoung almost broke her skull when she removed the curtain in the living room.

They laugh at the memory that almost feels like it happened a long time ago. 

After some time, Chaeyoung sinks into the newly kept bed while Mina sits at the edge with a respectful distance between them before asking: “Are you okay?” Chaeyoung hums and thanks Mina.

Sorting through this room made her heart ache, but finishing the chore was like lifting a heavyweight on her shoulders. It wouldn’t have been easy if it wasn’t for her companion — _for Mina._

The said girl stands up and shoots her a smile. “Well, I shall let you put your things into place. Call me if you need anything.”

Mina’s almost out of the door when she hears Chaeyoung calling her back. She goes back immediately and sees Chaeyoung sitting in front of the bedside table. She’s trying to open the last drawer, but it seems locked.

“Do you know where the key to this thing is?”

Mina ponders for a moment but comes up with nothing, Chaeyoung then scrutinizes the compartment one last time before exclaiming with an adorable “Aha!”

Chaeyoung fishes the master keyring from her back pocket and sifts through them. It’s weird to put a drawer key into the house’s keyring, but Chaeyoung also knows that her grandma didn't exactly have a normal thinking scheme. She finds a key, obviously smaller from the rest, and tries to fit it into the keyhole. 

She turns the key and hears a click.

The drawer opens and a pile of handwritten letters came crashing down.

Suddenly, Chayeoung feels her heart race with an inkling towards something she can't explain.

Mina moves to sit beside her.

Letters upon letters were addressed to her Nana, but the sender’s name was purposely ripped off in the end. Only the salutation was left, and it read: _Your great love, —_

Chaeyoung feels like she recognizes the handwriting but can’t pinpoint where she’s seen it. 

“Did my Nana tell you stories about her great love?” Chaeyoung asks Mina.

She picks up the uncomfortable shift in Mina’s eyes. “A few…” Mina trails, looking like she’s caught in a predicament. 

Chaeyoung stops reading the letters because she feels like she’s intruding on something so private, so she asks Mina again. “Can you tell me about them?” It’s a request as Chaeyoung lies on the pillow.

She doesn't put any of the letters down. 

Mina widens her eyes and scrambles, “Are you sure? I don’t think it’s the right time—” 

Chaeyoung cuts her off with a soft but determined “Please.” 

Mina looks at her hard before she relents with a sigh. She moves to rest her back unto the headboard, maintaining the distance between them. 

"Your grandmother has mentioned bits and pieces," Mina starts quietly.

Chaeyoung listens, as she always does. 

She knew it wasn't her grandfather — her Nana’s _great love._

They had a pleasant relationship, sure, but Chaeyoung always remembered the look on her grandma's face. She always had a wistful look, no matter how crazy her antics were during the day.

“ _Once,_ she told me she had loved a girl.”

Chaeyoung gasps.

“ _The most beautiful one,_ she said,” Mina adds. 

The memory of how Nana held Chaeyoung tight when she ran away from home — crying out of fear of rejection — scared that her parents may disown her after blurting out she’s gay one dinner night, comes running back into Chaeyoung’s mind. 

She also remembers how her Nana had consoled her back then, with ease and warmth, not only as if she knew it right from the start, but she also knew how it felt. 

It makes sense now.

Chaeyoung feels her heart ache. “Tell me more.” She whispers, bracing herself. 

Mina takes a glimpse of Chaeyoung before continuing. “She said they loved each other so much; not only as lovers but also as best of friends; they were partners-in-crime, _soulmates_ , but even from the start, they knew their relationship wouldn’t last long knowing how people — _their family_ — viewed their relationship back then.”

Chaeyoung feels tears escaping her eyes. 

“But in the end, Nayeon had told me with the biggest smile on her face that _it was all worth it,_ ” Mina looks at Chaeyoung, “because she met the greatest love of her life.”

_Greatest love..._

Nana Nayeon had called her that ever since she was a child.

Suddenly, a photograph slips from Chaeyoung’s grip. 

It’s an old picture of baby Chaeyoung in her mother’s arms with her smiling grandmothers — Nayeon and Jeongyeon — in the back.

She flips the photo and recognizes her Nana’s handwriting. It reads: _“To my great love with my greater, and finally, my greatest. We made it.”_

Chaeyoung feels her heart burst.

The picture on the table.

The other closet.

The letters.

The _handwriting._

Memories of how Nana looked out at the windows, longing, and yearning, for something close but out of reach.

Chaeyoung can only realize that she recognizes the same look on another woman's face.

Someone she also holds dearly.

_Nayeon's great love was Jeongyeon._

Chaeyoung chokes on the tears streaming down her face.

It's heartbreaking.

That night, Chaeyoung cries and cries, and Mina lets her. She holds her tightly as she does. 

* * *

* * *

Chaeyoung's dreams comprise recollections.

Fragments of how her parents told her about her grandmas knowing each other back then, _but they had a major fallout, so they didn’t talk for a while_ , come rushing back. Memories of how her grandmothers had walked on eggshells in each other’s presence until a feisty little Chaeyoung came into their lives and kept them together floods in. Recollections upon recollections invade Chaeyoung’s mind as she snuggles closer to the bundle of warmth beside her.

That night, Chaeyoung's heart breaks and heals at the same time.

* * *

* * *


	7. Seven

Chaeyoung wakes up to the smell of something delicious.

She rubs her tired and swollen eyes and sees Mina, grinning, carrying a mouth-watering breakfast once again.

They shared it with a delicate silence.

After eating, Mina softly asks if she’s okay, and she answers it truthfully.

Chaeyoung figures she owes Mina an explanation about her breakdown last night, considering how tightly she clung onto the other girl.

Mina, as always, listens with attentiveness. 

Chaeyoung’s heart still aches for her grandmothers, but it also feels lighter knowing that their love wouldn’t just be buried as a secret forever.

It’s like the last piece falling into place because she knows her grandmother wouldn’t leave the letters in such an obvious place. 

Nayeon wanted Chaeyoung to find them.

* * *

For the rest of the day, Mina and Chaeyoung take a break from cleaning (as Mina insisted).

They are currently lounging in the living room with Chaeyoung, fulfilling her promise of letting Mina observe her sketch. 

Chaeyoung’s hand itches to draw Mina’s face, but she decides against it. She just redraws the painting hanging above the fireplace instead; it was a ship sailing straight into the sunset. When it’s finally finished, Chaeyoung takes her eyes off the piece just to see Mina boring her eyes into her work like she’s seeing her favorite idol.

Chaeyoung blushes at how intense the girl is looking. 

“It’s gorgeous,” Mina murmurs.

Chaeyoung touches her neck in embarrassment. Instead of answering, she looks at the window, and to her surprise; snow is falling along with the twinkling stars.

Sketching really keeps Chaeyoung attention from anything else. 

“I didn’t know I drew that long. You should have told me,” Chaeyoung tells Mina, whose gaze is still on her drawing. She can’t believe Mina has stayed by her side the whole time. The girl didn’t even move one bit. 

Chaeyoung then retrieves the list inside her bag, hoping to complete it before she goes shopping for tomorrow when Mina snatches it from her hand.

Mina looks at her threateningly. “I told you we’re taking a break today.”

Chaeyoung chuckles back. “We'd already lazed around the entire afternoon, Mina-yah. Let me just finish that quickly. We’re done surveying the whole mansion, anyway. I’ll just add a few things.” 

Mina squints her eyes, shaking her head, and says, “We’re not yet done, Chaeyoung-ah.”

Chaeyoung looks at her, confused. “Huh? Unless you changed your mind about cleaning the rooms upstairs, I’m pretty positive that—”

Chaeyoung’s lengthy speech is cut when Mina stands up and gently offers her hand.

It’s Chaeyoung’s turn to narrow her eyes now. “Is this another trick hidden in your sleeve, Mina?” 

Mina just giggles. “You’ll see. Come on.”

Nonetheless, Chaeyoung accepts Mina's hand as they walk to the room behind the shifting wall.

Mina opens the brightest light, illuminating the spiral staircase. 

Reaching the second floor, Mina fiddles with something before pulling the hidden stairs leading to the attic. She nudges Chaeyoung, who suddenly feels nervous because they’re currently walking up the stairs which seem to lead into vast nothingness. 

Chaeyoung mentally prepares herself for another Mina prank, but upon reaching the end, a bleak room with just enough space for two welcomes her.

Mina then gives her giddy look before she opens the lone door and a sight so beautiful meets Chaeyoung’s eyes. 

The door leads to a white garden clad in white stretches from Chaeyoung’s feet unto the top of what looks like a hill.

With a fairytale-like gazebo on the left and an old Ginkgo tree on the right, it’s like a magical dreamland.

Chaeyoung’s glad they both wore thick clothes fit for the weather.

It’s the first snowfall, after all. 

“This mansion is carved out of the side of this hill,” Mina explains, still with a grin on her face. “The hidden stairs lead to the terrace connecting the house to its peak, allowing a beautiful garden to blossom here every summer.”

They walk along the ground pathway dividing the space for the gazebo and the tree. 

Below the sturdy shade, Mina removes the snow from the wooden swing and softly pushes Chaeyoung to sit. She then settles herself into one of the stone horse statues beside the tree.

Chaeyoung laughs at her, “You look like a knight riding your horse.”

Mina giggles. “If that’s the case, then you’re the princess waiting for me.”

They both laugh harder. 

“Please tell me this is the last thing hidden in this house,” Chaeyoung tells Mina while gazing at the breathtaking garden. “At this rate, a portal to another world won’t even surprise me.” 

Everything looks heavenly clothed in snow.

The craftsmanship of this building and its garden are really remarkable. 

“Well, actually…” Mina trails making Chaeyoung yell,

“Yah!”

Mina giggles, accompanying the sounds and chirps of the night.

“You surprised me with the game room, then the dumbwaiter, and this! I even thought you were a vampire at first because of the ketchup and refrigerator.” Chaeyoung purses her lips. “In retrospect, maybe you really are one considering your ancient jokes and lightning reflex,” Chaeyoung squints her eyes at Mina.

The latter's face breaks into a teasing grin. “If I’m really a vampire, then you should be more surprised at the reason _why_ _you're not_ running away from me.”

Chaeyoung tries to push herself on the swing. She ponders and realizes that she doesn’t care if Mina’s a vampire, a werewolf, or a hoodlum at all. (Tzuyu’s voice enters her mind: _You shouldn't trust a stranger so easily, Chaeyoung-ah,_ she scolds her, but deep inside Chaeyoung knows that she’s completely (and hopelessly) comfortable staying by Mina’s side.

She always felt as if she'd known Mina longer than a week.

Maybe it’s their shared connection through Nayeon, but nonetheless, she wants to know Mina further.

Chaeyoung wishes the winter doesn't end so soon.

Speaking of winter, Chaeyoung’s reminded of the next months she needs to go back to the city to start working on her projects.

Being a top student in an elite university has given her countless contracts and connections right after graduation, and Chaeyoung’s grateful for them, really.

She needs the experience and money along with practicing her craft professionally, but right now, on top of this very hill, Chaeyoung pushes them back at the farthest recess of her priorities.

“Look,” Mina retrieves Chaeyoung's attention as she points past the horizon.

Chaeyoung follows her gaze and gasp.

They both stand up to see the breathtaking view better.

With the sun completely sleeping, the shining moon, full and bright, lights the forest beneath the other side of the hill.

Past the woodlands, a gleaming river divides the island from the buzzing city lights. 

It’s definitely a sight to witness on top of a snow-covered hill with the warmth of a welcomed companion. 

A particularly icy breeze makes Chaeyoung and Mina snuggled closer together.

Chaeyoung meets Mina’s stare, _and this time,_ Chaeyoung holds it. After all, the twinkling lights don’t compare to the swirling emotions inside Mina’s eyes.

They’re a pool of everything Chaeyoung would like to dive into.

Mina's gaze falls on her lips, and Chaeyoung feels Mina’s breath against her, but neither of them moves to close the distance.

They stay close like this, fully content being lost in each other’s presence.

* * *

The next day, Chaeyoung wakes up with a jolt and decides to leave town almost immediately because who is she kidding — _she wants to run away again._

The night before made Chaeyoung realize a lot of things, and she badly needs the alone time and distraction that comes along with shopping. 

(Chaeyoung makes sure to leave a note on the fridge.)

* * *

Mina wakes up later than usual and snatches the note that reads: “By the time you wake up, I already went to town, Mina-yah! Wait for me to come back. :) - Your Chaeyoungie.”

Just like that, Mina starts her day with the brightest smile on her face. 

( _And of course,_ Mina waits for Chaeyoung to come home.)

* * *

After travelling for almost 2 hours, Chaeyoung goes to the furniture store first.

There are a few times she’s this close to texting Mina for her opinion on what color and what type of furniture she wants but decides against it.

Mina’s voice echoes through her mind: “Anything is fine, Chaeyoung. I trust you.”

Chaeyoung then walks into the appliance store to buy a new refrigerator. She’s about to go out when a karaoke and speaker set promo catches her attention. She smiles to herself before walking to its direction.

Chaeyoung ticks off things on her grocery list one-by-one. She pushes her cart and looks for the hotdog and ketchup brands Mina prefers. She also hopes she doesn’t go out of budget. (She buys 5 of each anyway.)

Later that night, Chaeyoung finishes everything on the list and stays at a nearby motel like how she initially planned.

Buying a lot of things from her savings and arranging their respective deliveries to the mansion were tiresome, but Chaeyoung doesn’t easily slip into sleep.

Her body craves the warmth beside her one lonely night ago, but she dismisses it immediately. Chaeyoung just wraps herself with the uncomfortable blanket.

The next day, Chaeyoung decides to take a stroll towards the train instead of taking the bus.

A good walk always helps Chaeyoung in clearing things inside her mind. With her sketchbook in her hand, she tries to draw the interesting things she sees but gives up after a few tries when almost all of them end with a familiar outline of a certain girl in mind. 

Chaeyoung mopes. Maybe she should stop denying things.

_Maybe it’s time to stop running, Chaeyoung-ah._

Chaeyoung kicks the stone on the ground when she passes by an old woman wearing a veil. She backtracks and finds herself in front of her booth.

Chaeyoung walks toward her little table at the side of the road.

Wordlessly, the peculiar woman takes her palm and starts tracing the lines on her palms; then the woman looks at the glaring sun like it doesn’t hurt her eyes at all and returns her gaze back to Chaeyoung. 

"Let the lost meet the tired," she says with her frail voice.

"Let the flowers bloom once again, and then finally…" the woman exhales,

"... let the weary come to rest."

Chaeyoung doesn’t understand a thing, but smiles nonetheless.

She gets an apple on one of her grocery bags and puts it on the table as thanks.

Chaeyoung smiles to herself before walking way.

_She’s ready to come home._

* * *

Walking through the pathway lined by the forest, the tall gate of the mansion welcomes Chaeyoung back.

Basked on the afternoon glow, the whole mansion sparkles like a clip out of a movie scene. 

Chaeyoung tries to capture the image in its entirety: how the mansion hides the delicate beauty inside; how the house harmonizes with the landscape of the hill, and how Mina emerges from the grand wooden doors just to smile at her.

With a sigh of utter resignation, Chaeyoung starts to accept. It’s useless — _running away from her_ — when, in just a week, she finds herself irrevocably rooted in this place.

It may seem intense and reckless for an outsider, but for her — everything feels oddly enough, in pace, _in time._

Right here and then, Chaeyoung knows she _wants_ to see how this tale unfolds.

_I think it’s so easy..._

Chaeyoung drops the bags on the ground and waves at Mina.

_… falling in love._

Mina waves back at her.

_I think I already am…_

Mina beckons her in with a smile.

_... falling._

Chaeyoung takes the first step back at Mina.

_**fin.** _

* * *

* * *

"Have you told her the truth?" A voice asks.

"Not yet." 

Someone snatches the phone. 

"What are you waiting for, _Myoui_? Time's ticking away—?"

"— _and will it stop?_ " Mina's voice cuts pointedly.

"Will it stop if Chaeyoung learns that I'm _indeed_ a vampire?" 

The other line becomes silent. 

Mina observes Chaeyoung sleeping peacefully on the sofa, her face so serene, it _hurts._

Without another word, Mina ends the call abruptly. Just this once, _selfishly_ , Mina wants to keep Chaeyoung all for herself.

After all, Mina has waited _lifetimes_ just to reunite with her soulmate once more.

* * *

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the end! 
> 
> (Or is it?)
> 
> For a light one-shot of (normal human breathing) michaeng starting to fall in love, ignore the last part :>.
> 
> Do share your comments about the fic (and if you want the continuation) below. 
> 
> TMI: I never knew writing fics could be this taxing, especially if you're crazy about rereading and editing. 
> 
> Nonetheless, thank you for reading, and sorry for leaving you hanging. Unfortunately, it ain't me if it doesn't end in a cliffhanger kk


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